Ga’ashekelah

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Ga’ashekelah (Hebrew GAaShKLH, “breakers”) in Kabbalistic tradition are the Qlippoth or demonic powers associated with Chesed, the fourth Sephirah of the Tree of Life. They are called the “disturbers” or “Breakers in Pieces” are depicted in traditional lore as giants with heads of cats. Their name may be spelled Agshekelot, Gog Sheklah, or Gamchicoth. The cortex is Azariel with the archdemon of Astaroth.

Ga’ashekelah in this Sphere are an order of devourers who seek to destroy or devour the substance and thought of creation. The outer form is the order of Azariel, “The Binding Ones of God.” Azriel elsewhere is named as one of the fallen angels controlling six cohorts. Astaroth seems to be an androgynous deity. She was considered a Semitic fertility goddess and equated to Astarte, a predominate Phoenician fertility goddess, counterpart of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar. However, in in the fifth century BCE there began appearing in the temples of Astarte inscriptions suggesting the perceptions her as an emanation of Baal Samin, personifying his divine power. Also to this end, Astaroth is mentioned in The Lesser Key of Solomon very powerful deity assisted by four deities. In the Dictionaire Infernal he is depicted as a naked man with dragon-like hands and feet, a second pair of wings behind the first, wearing a crown, holding a serpent in one hand, and riding a wolf or dog. It is interesting that Astarte is usually depicted naked too, and, in Egyptian style, wearing a crown of cows’ horns enclosing a sun disc. A.G.H.